An Open Heart
by SweetiePye2332
Summary: Harry recives a letter from a friend of Hermione's. He opens up to her, but will such openness result in feelings of surprise and dislike?
1. Chapter One: The first Correspondence

Hermione's Pen-Pal I

Chapter 1

It was a hot day in the end of July, and a skinny black-haired teenage boy was lying on his back in a small, dark bedroom. His fat cousin, bony aunt, and porky uncle were downstairs, and he had no desire to join them. He wished it was September, so he could see his friends, Ron and Hermione, and go back to school. He also wished that a certain man, convicted of murder was still alive. Why? Because this boy was none other than Harry Potter.

Harry was a wizard, and was one of the most well-known of them all. He had survived an attack by the worst wizard of them all-Voldemort- when he was only a baby. In September, it would be Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but he had other things on his mind.

_Why did Sirius have to die?_ Thought Harry._ I miss him. I need someone I can tell everything to, someone who will listen and understand like Sirius did._ Harry's God-father had been a father-like figure to Harry. He stood up, and walked over to the window. He had gotten very tall over the summer, and his hair was the same as ever. Harry leaned on the window sill, looking out at the moon. He opened the window with ease, for his muscles had become strong due to playing Seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Harry took a deep breath of balmy summer air, and it calmed him. He stared into the night wishing- for what, he did not know. All he knew was that somewhere, there was a person who could understand him like Sirius did.

That same night, a short , blonde witch in Paris looked out her own window. She was lonely, and wanted someone to talk to. As if answering her thoughts, her mother walked into the room.

"Rachel," she said, " You have a letter from Hermione."

The girl turned around to receive the letter. Her mother handed it to her, and she immediately opened it with care, so as not to rip it's contents.

Dear Rachel,

I am so excited about your coming to Hogwarts! I am sure you will love it. I want you to meet my friends, and I am sure you want to too. This owl knows where they live- Harry and Ron, I mean- so write them a letter if you wish. I haven't told them about you yet, so make sure to introduce yourself! I am positive that they will just be so glad to meet you, so don't keep them waiting! I would write a longer letter, but I still haven't finished reading my textbooks for this year yet. I am sure you are done though. I envy you, you smarty-pants! Write me!

With love,

Hermione

Ps: Harry needs some cheering up, his god-father recently died, so be nice!

Rachel looked up smiling. Hermione and she had been pen-pals for years! She couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts! And she thought that of course she would write the three British friends a set of letters. She picked up her quill, and began to write.


	2. Chapter Two: Questions of high regard

Chapter 2 

Harry awoke the next morning feeling funny. He realized why when he looked at his calendar and saw that it was July 31st, his birthday! Harry stood up, and opened the window for Hedwig, his owl. He leaned forward, meaning to lean on the sill as he had done the night before, but instead, was knocked over by a gray owl with piercing blue eyes. It was not Errol or Pig, Ron's owls, or his Hedwig, It was different, and this owl was carrying a letter for him. He took the letter from the owl's paws, and ripped it open. In his haste, a picture enclosed in the letter fell onto the floor. He picked it up, and took a look at it. In the picture were two girls, one Hermione, the other a stranger he didn't know, at the beach. Hermione was wearing a tankini, but the other girl was wearing a multi-colored, crocheted bikini. This girl was blonde, short, and had a nice smile. _She's cute,_ Harry thought. _I wonder who she is…_ He turned the picture over, hoping to see names and a date, and saw: Hermione and Rachel on the beach in Italy.

He turned it back over, and set it on his night-stand. Then, he picked up the letter, and read:

Dear Harry,

This may seem a little odd, but my name is Rachel Starnes, and I am Hermione's Pen-Pal. She wrote me and said you needed a little cheering up, so I decided to write you. I will be attending Hogwarts this year, and I will be in your year. You will meet me then, but I wanted you to see what I look like, so I slipped that picture of Hermione and I into the envelope. That was taken last summer, but I haven't really changed much. Blonde hair, green eyes(not emerald, like yours, but ocean colored).

I am a lot like Hermione in school work, but I get better grades than she does. I love learning, but I know when to give it a rest and have some fun. I like Transfiguration and Charms, but I think Divination is a waste of time. I like all colors, and have a pet chinchilla who will come with me to Hogwarts. Her name is Cecil. I hope to be in Gryffindor, but I think I will probably be in Ravenclaw. Can't wait to see you in person, I already have a few pictures of you from Hermione. Write me if you want. I am open to anything that you want to tell me, and I can give good advice. I will listen to anything you have to say.

Until Later,

Rachel

_Might as well give it a shot…_ Harry thought. He rummaged through his desk and found a quill, parchment, and after a few moments of struggling, came up with some ink. _This is weird…_ he thought, as he penned the first words onto the page._ I'm writing to a girl I don't even know. But that can have advantages. She doesn't know me, so therefore she can't judge me, so therefore, I have a fresh start. _Harry's thoughts and feelings went into that letter. As he finished, he worried that he had gone too far. But she had told him he could tell her anything…. So, Harry addressed the letter and gave it to Hedwig, and that was it. No turning back now.


	3. Chapter 3: Rereads, and Ideas

Chapter 3 

Rachel loved to stand on her balcony. After a few moments of fresh air, she could think and breathe better. She liked to come and think out on the terrace. That's what she is doing now, actually.

_I just got a letter from Harry._ She thought, _and he opened up to me! What do I say?_

The letter read:

Dear Rachel,

I do not know much about you, so you must not know much about me. I hope Hermione sent you a picture, and if she did not send you one of me, please ask her to, as I don't have one.

Hermione did send Rachel a picture. _No need to worry, _thought Rachel as she re-read the letter._ Harry's hot!_

So I'm an orphan. My Mother and Father were Murdered by Voldemort, My god-father just died, and my aunt and Uncle hate me. So I'm pretty normal. Oh, and did I mention my fat ass cousin uses me as a punching bag? I try to keep him in line, but being about 12 times heavier than me, Dudley has the advantage.

You said I could tell you anything. I hope you meant it…

I miss Sirius! Why did he leave me? It's not fair! It's not! I am the least fortunate person in the world, and sometimes I wish I was dead. But I have to go on because it's my job to kill Voldemort… How come it's me who was chosen? Sometimes I don't feel as brave as people make me out to be.

Oh, and added onto all this important stuff is the fact that I still want to be normal and have friends and a girlfriend. It's hard, you know with all the press to find someone who looks beyond all the rubbish that's said about me.

What's a troubled wizard to do?

Write me with answers.

Harry

She sighed. Harry had a lot of things that needed answers… many she didn't know. _You know,_ she thought,_ I really didn't want this much to deal with. I feel like Harry- Why me? _As Rachel thought of this, a grin escaped her. _I know how to connect- not that he's gonna like it._

Even though her way of answering Harry wouldn't be much appreciated, she thought it was the best(and only!) way to answer Harry's complaints.

Rachel took a deep breath, and walked back into her sunny little room, to write a long, consoling letter.


	4. Chapter 4: Worries and Understanding

Chapter 4

Eyes closed, Harry lay on his back in bed. It was nearly noon, but as the Dursley's were never glad to see him (or sympathetic), he did not feel like getting up. Unfortunatley, he had to not a moment later. There was a large, sliver owl at his window, rap-tap-tapping on it gently. Harry rolled out from under the covers, and opened the window. The owl flew in, and made itself at home after dropping a letter on Harry's head.

It was from that girl- Rachel. Harry cringed at the reminder of what he had written. Sullenly, he tore open the envelope.

Dear Harry, it read,

Your last letter overwhelmed me. I had no idea life was so hard for you. I'm trying to understand, but there are just too many things to worry about.

_Oh no,_ Harry thought, _Here comes the rejection, the scorn, the hate, the…_

I think that if I felt as full of worries as I was that night 24/7, I'd probably explode! Harry, I think I know how you feel. You're sad, and angry over Sirius' death because you obviously loved him very much. Harry, he loved you too! You wouldn't feel this way if he didn't. You're lonely, without a proper family, and a cousin who hits you.

Harry smirked at her mild use of words to something so horrible. _She's an optimist…_

My problems are so tiny compared to yours. I can hardly relate, except that I feel so full of worries that I get hives. It's awful, because I'm always worried about one thing or another. My poor forearms could use a break!

Anyway, Harry, this may not have helped, but I want you to know that I will see you soon. I will be going to Hogwarts this year, and since the start-of-term feast is only… 2 weeks away, I will definitely be there.

Rachel

Harry smiled. Someone had brought up the subject of Sirius, and he hadn't gotten upset! In fact, he had smiled at the way Rachel hardly knew Harry or Sirius, and had gotten their relationship perfect. Harry had loved Sirius.

_He never said it,_ he thought, _but Rachel has a point. I wouldn't miss him so bad if he didn't love me._

Harry looked around his messy room and sighed. He had some work to do.

_I'll write her later,_ he thought as he put the letter under the floorboards with his photobook. He couldn't bear to have the Dursley's find it!

And with that, Harry started fresh with a new, positive outlook and a sad, but less sullen heart.


End file.
